European markets ended the week on a positive note, with stocks achieving modest gains on Friday, building on a strong performance throughout the week. Investor sentiment was buoyed by the expectation that continued monetary easing by the Federal Reserve would boost equity prospects in major economies. The STOXX 50 index saw a 0.2% rise to 5,666 points, while the STOXX 600 climbed 0.3% to 577 points. In particular, the technology sector led the session's gains, with notable increases from companies such as ASML, SAP, Infineon, and Prosus, which saw rises between 0.7% and 1.5%. The consumer discretionary sector also performed well, highlighted by LVMH's 1.4% jump, and automotive giants Volkswagen and Stellantis rising by 1.3% and 2% respectively.
A series of inflation reports continued to support the anticipation that the European Central Bank (ECB) will keep its key interest rates steady in upcoming meetings. This expectation was bolstered by Italy and France reporting lower-than-expected harmonized inflation rates, although Germany's rate exceeded predictions. Despite the strong end to the week for both the STOXX 50 and the STOXX 600, the Eurozone's benchmark experienced a 0.6% decline throughout November.
